Troy University Athletics
The Dust Has Settled on the 2010 Troy Rodeo Season
7/12/2010 10:13:42 AM | Rodeo
The dust has settled, and it is time for a break from the barrels for the Troy Trojans Rodeo Team. The team competed at the national level just last week, and while there is plenty to build upon for next season, there is also much to smile about.
The team competed in the College National Finals Rodeo, and head coach Josh Simmons said the competition at the finals was some of the toughest the nation has to offer.
“You're competing against professional ropers at this event, not amateurs,” Simmons said. “There is a lot of talent out there that has been to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas on a number of occasions. That's the one thing that makes us unique from NCAA is that the people we compete against are making a living off of doing this.”
The rodeo team at troy is recognized as a club team by NCAA standards, and that is why they compete against professionals around the nation.
“We really held our own out at the finals this year,” Simmons said. “We ended up with a top ten finish as a team. That's respectable in my opinion. We have a lot to improve upon for next season, and I would say this is an improvement upon last year as well.”
The progress the team was able to manage this year edged them closer toward their goal of winning a championship at the College National Finals Rodeo, and Simmons said the experience the team got this year will be a great attribute toward that goal next season.
“I think this sets us up really well,” Simmons said. “We have a lot of talent coming back next season. This team has grown so much this year, and they will really be able to put that to work next season. I think that we're set up with the attitude now that we can do it. Troy University can compete at the national level. Confidence is a great thing, and it will help the whole team in next year's season and the finals. All of our team members that made the national finals will be able to come back to Troy and share that experience with the team. I think the value of that is great because they have been and competed against the best around.”
Simmons and the team will be on a short break before they start preparing for the 2010-2011 grind, and overall he is proud of what the team accomplished this year. The goal for Troy Rodeo is a championship, and now they believe they have the confidence and ability to reach it as well.
